Just a Kiss
by Non Timebo Malo
Summary: Chloe's life has changed forever, & her father's return unearths even more dark secrets. Suddenly, her life is tied to Brian's in ways she never could have imagined, & she has a new task. Contains both Chloe/Brian & Chloe/Alek. More decisively Brian.
1. Chapter 1: A Shot in the Dark

**Summary: Chloe is confused. Her life has taken one dramatic turn after another, and honestly, she's just wishing she could be a normal teenage girl again. One night, however, when Brian shows up at her front door unannounced, she finds that maybe, just maybe, her life could turn out to be exactly what she wants.**

**Disclaimer: Don't like Chloe/Brian? Well then, I'll have to suggest you look elsewhere for entertainment. Don't like, don't read. **

**I hope you all enjoy this! :)**

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><p><strong><span>Just a Kiss<span>**

_**CHAPTER ONE: A SHOT IN THE DARK**_

"Chloe?" Meredith called up the stairs on her way to the front door.

When I finally surfaced at the top of the stairs, my mother already had her hand on the doorknob, seemingly in a rush. "Frank is outside, so I'll see you later. Please just stay in the house tonight, ok?"

I sighed, but betrayed the tortured expression I was trying to school my features into when an unwanted smile came to my lips. I couldn't help but smile when I saw how happy my mom _finally_ looked, so I settled on just agreeing with her and letting her enjoy her night out without worrying about my whereabouts. "Yeah, mom, I'll stay inside. Have fun."

"And Chloe?" my mom said, turning to face me one last time before leaving. When I nodded, she continued, "I love you."

"Implied," I giggled, "Now get out of here, stop keeping your boyfriend waiting!"

I laughed as she scurried through the door in a rush of nervous excitement. It'd been a long time since I'd had seen my mother like that, and it was a nice change. She deserved to be happy.

I shook my head, still smiling as I turned to walk back up the stairs to my bedroom. It was bound to be a long and lonely night, but I had no intention of leaving the house. I needed a little space to think anyway, considering the unexpected turns my life had taken as of late. It would be nice to get a chance to relax. Or at least _try_ to relax.

However, I didn't make it past the fifth stair before the doorbell rang, jarring me out of the thoughts that had already consumed my mind. Figuring that my mother must have forgotten something in her mad dash out of the house, I turned on my heel and sauntered back to the door, looking around the entryway as I walked for whatever my mother had forgotten, but nothing of the sort was in plain sight.

As I pulled the door open, my heartbeat quickened immediately. It was not my mother standing on the front porch. It was Brian.

"Uh hey Chloe," he said with a sweet smile, "I... Well _we_ need to talk."

I bit my lip, trying to think of some excuse that would send him away. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't as if I _wanted _him to leave, because trust me, I didn't. I just couldn't for the life of me think of one good thing to tell him. He undoubtedly wanted to talk about our relationship, or lack thereof, and I _still_ had no idea what to do about that.

I was going to send him away, tell him I was busy, or leaving, or grounded, or _anything_, but the words I heard myself say instead didn't quite make him turn around. Actually, they did quite the opposite. "Uh, sure, come in."

And before I knew it, Brian was sitting in a chair at my kitchen table and I was handing him a cold glass of lemonade. Damn it.

"So," I mumbled as I took a seat across from him, "What was it that you wanted to talk ab-"

"I love you." He cut me off before I could even finish my question.

I coughed, trying to buy myself some time to think of a way to divert his comment. But no excuse came to mind. "I... I can't. Brian, I can't," I responded, refusing to meet his eyes and diverting my gaze down to the table instead. I felt tears fill my eyes as I held back the words I had truly wanted to say. More than anything, I wanted to tell him that I loved him too.

"You can't _what_ Chloe?" he questioned, his voice louder than I had expected it to be, "You always tell me you 'can't'. Every time I try to get closer to you, that is _always_ your answer, but I don't think that's the truth. Your words are telling me you can't, but your eyes, they have a different tale to tell. So look at me Chloe, look me dead in the eyes, and tell me the _truth._ I think I deserve at least that."

I don't know exactly what it was that came over me in that moment, but I suddenly found my resolve. I tore my gaze up and away from the table, and as my eyes met his, I no longer had a choice. Brian was right. He _did_ deserve the truth. And that was exactly what he'd get. I couldn't keep giving him the runaround any longer; there was no more hiding it.

"I can't kiss you, ok? Because if I do, you'll be paralyzed. Or die. Probably all of the above."

There it was. His mouth dropped open in shock as he tried to figure out what to say next. One second ticked by, then two, three, four... Then finally, he spoke, "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean that I am not human. I'm something else, something called Mai. It's kind of a _really_ long story, and I know it's a lot to handle, but Mai can't kiss humans. If we do, the human dies."

"This is not funny, Chloe." He shook his head, sadness spreading over his pretty face. "If you don't like me, you can just tell me you know..."

So I told him the whole story- everything. I watched as his face moved from sadness to disbelief to shock, and finally, after about an hour, to something reminiscent of acceptance. He sat through the entire story, keeping our eye contact for reassurance and listening quietly, making me wonder why I hadn't told him earlier. As I spoke I realized more and more that I could trust him, that he had more than earned that.

"Woah..." he murmured when I finished, at a loss for words.

"Yeah," I returned, bracing myself for what I thought was an inevitable goodbye. I didn't see how he could do anything but leave.

"Sorry, I just... I need a minute," he said, cradling his head in his hands and closing his eyes.

"It's alright Brian, I understand. You can go." I stood and pushed my chair in as I spoke, readying myself to go open the door for him.

"Go?" he asked, his eyes shooting open again, "Why would I do that?"

"Because I basically just told you I'm a monster? I'm a freak who can kill you with a kiss, why would you stay?"

"Because I love you." He was so sure in his response that it caught me off guard, making me lean my weight on the back of my chair. "I wasn't bluffing when I said that Chloe; I meant it. I love you."

"But... But I'm not human..." I couldn't understand where he was going with this.

He laughed. "Yeah, I get that. Doesn't change anything. Chloe, _nothing_ could make me love you any less, why don't you understand that?"

I wasn't even sure what to do next, so I simply stood there, still resting the weight I simply couldn't hold up on the back of my chair, staring at him.

After a couple minutes of that, he broke the silence, "But I have a question."

"Shoot," I responded.

"Do you know _why_ it is that you can't kiss me? What about that scenario would kill me?"

"I- I don't know," I answered, yet again caught off guard by his question.

"Well, you can touch me right? Like we can hold hands or hug or just brush against each other?" he asked.

"Yes..."

"Okay, so it's not just a simple touch. Then it must just be mouth-to-mouth contact."

"I guess..."

"Fair enough. So Chloe, how do you feel about me? I mean truthfully, with complete and utter disregard for the no kissing rule."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as I decided that I might as well continue on the path of truth. "Well, if we're being honest... I think I completely underestimated you. I can't believe you're even still here, but I'm glad you are. I'm _so_ glad. And I'm glad that you now know what's been tearing us apart," I paused and smiled at him, and he returned a small smile as I continued, "And Brain, I love you, too."

His smile grew as he spoke again, "Then one last question."

"Mhm?"

"Can you please get me a piece of plastic wrap?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Pl-plastic wrap? Like what you put over containers when you put them in the fridge?" I was beyond reason at that point, ambivalent as to what this boy could possibly have needed _plastic wrap_ for.

"Yep, that's the stuff."

I walked over to a cabinet above my stove, reaching upward to grab the container and sliding to him across the table. I stood, utterly confounded, as he pulled some of the clear wrapping from the container, ripped a piece cleanly from the roll, and slid the container back toward me.

"Come here," he commanded, struggling with the clingy piece of thin plastic in his hands.

"_What_ are you doing?" I asked as I walked toward him on weak legs.

He simply smiled and held the plastic wrap closer to his face. "Kiss me."

And then I understood. I smiled as I got closer to him, losing myself in his perfect green eyes. I threw my hands around his hips, keeping perfect eye contact as our lips met.

Soon, I was losing myself in the kiss, forgetting the plastic wrap even existed between us. Our lips moved together in perfect, passionate synchronization as I pulled him closer to me. Brian kept a firm grip on the thin layer of plastic the whole long, blissful time.

When he pulled away, he dropped his shield right away, smiling and looking down. "Wow."

"Wow," I repeated, smiling and running my fingers across the side of his face.

He looked up and met my eyes again, "See, just a kiss. And everything is fine."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling the sparks fly between us. "Yeah, just a kiss," I whispered, glad we were finally on the same page. For once.

He threw his arm around my waist, leading me toward my living room. When we got there, he sat down gracefully on the couch, switching his arm to put it around my shoulders and angling himself so that he could look at me.

"I really, truly meant what I said earlier you know," he said, his face close to mine.

"What would that be?" I asked, hardly able to remember how I'd gotten to my living room.

"That I love you, Chloe, and I'd like to add that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this work," he gestured between us as he spoke.

"Good," I smiled, "Because I just so happen to love you too, Brian. No matter what it takes."

He wrapped me in a hug just as the phone rang. I jumped, startled by the sudden noise piercing through our perfect moment. When I realized it was the phone, I reached for it, grasping it from the coffee table in front of us easily.

"Hello?"

"Hey Chloe, I just wanted to let you know that Frank and I are on our way back to the house now." It was my mom.

"Oh, ok," I answered into the receiver, "See you in a few then. Bye!"

And with that, I hung up, turning my attention back to Brian. As I readied myself to speak, he cut me off, "I should go, right?"

I bit my lip, regretting the fact that I had to kick him out now. "Yeah, probably..."

"Well, do I get a kiss goodnight?" He asked as he stood, picking up the plastic wrap from where he'd left it on the table.

I pulled him to me without answering, pressing my lips against his through the thin barrier once more.

He took off for the door when we finished, handing me the plastic wrap so I could dispose of it, which I wasn't sure I would even do. It seemed rather a memorable keepsake, a perfect memory of the first night of the rest of our lives.

As he jogged out the door, he turned back to me. "And Chloe," he said, "We'll be alright."

I smiled as I watched him retreat, his last words sticking with me. Yes, _finally,_ we really _would_ be just fine.

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><p><strong>So that's that. Thanks for reading, &amp; I really hope you enjoyed it!<strong>

**I just wanted to give Chloe/Brian their fair share of the love. I'm fully aware that many of you much prefer to ship Chloe/Alek, and I have absolutely nothing against that; this is just my own personal preference. It's perfectly understandable, and I can absolutely respect that. So please respect this in the same way. I'm not particularly interested in the whole Brian vs. Alek shipwar, so let's just coexist peacefully and play nicely. Ok? Ok.**

**I always love feeback! So much love to the reviewers. :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Nothing Is Ever Easy

**Summary: Alek, of course, must have an opinion about Chloe and Brian's blossoming relationship, and since every rose has its thron, here is that thorn. As it would turn out, Alek heard every word Chloe and Brian said, and he's not just going to let it go. He has to make sure Chloe knows that he knows. But maybe he's going to let her know some other things too.**

**Enjoy! ;)**

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER TWO: NOTHING IS EVER EASY<strong>_

By the time I got up to my bedroom, he was already there. I can't say I hadn't expected it. The window stood agape, allowing a cool breeze in, and he was sitting on my bed, watching the rain begin to fall outside.

"Alek."

He turned to face me, his eyes dark, clouded over like a summer storm. "Don't think I couldn't hear every word. Every motion," he said, his voice quite nearly a growl.

I simply nodded, unsure what exactly to say to that. Maybe it was better this way. At least I wouldn't have to tell him.

After a moment of heavy, lingering silence, he spoke again, his voice heavily laced with sarcasm. "Well isn't he just a charmer." The words alone formed a question, but his tone left it more like a simple statement.

"So what, Chloe," he continued, "This is your solution? Every single time you kiss, you have to have a shield? _Seriously?_ How is that okay with you?"

"I... Alek, maybe it's not perfect, but it's _worth it._ Life's not perfect, especially not now, but I'm going to let this whole Mai thing ruin an otherwise sound relationship," I responded, the harshly defensive tone of my voice causing even me to cringe.

He laughed, a strangely dry and humorless sound. "Alright, you can justify it all you want. But you know, 'otherwise sound' is hardly a good argument. In that case, maybe nobody should ever break up due to cheating, or lying, or even abuse. I'm sure their relationships, too, are 'otherwise sound'."

"That isn't the same and you know it," I retorted, stung by his words.

"You're right, it's not the same. I am _so_ sorry," he said, rolling his eyes, "your reasons are far worse actually. You can _kill_ that boy if ever he _really_ kisses you, you know, like most boyfriends do with their girlfriends. Yeah, that's certainly a healthy relationship. I see nothing at all wrong with that."

"Alek," I said, "this isn't up for argument. I never asked for this destiny, and I'm not about to let it rule over every other aspect of my life. Period."

He sighed. "Regardless of whether or not you asked for it, this _is_ your life, Chloe. There's no changing that. So what is it you're planning to do, marry Brian and start a family? Maybe at your wedding the priest can hold your ridiculous piece of cling wrap for you. And then what? Good luck settling down with him, constantly having to baby-sit him from the hoards of creatures who are out to get you. They won't see in shades of gray. If hurting him will, in a roundabout way, also hurt you, then that's precisely what they'll do- use him to get to you. And no matter how strong or sweet or _anything_ he is, at the end of the day, he's still human. He can't protect you. Hell, he can't even protect _himself _when it comes to other Mai, or Jackals, or any of the other things that want to kill you. Nine times over, I might add. If you think about, and I mean _really_ think about it, Chloe, how is that fair to him?"

And I had nothing left to say. Alek had _really_ covered all the bases there, leaving me staring at him, speechless. What was there to say? That it didn't matter, because love would conquer all? Ha. That wouldn't exactly have blown over well. So I stood wordlessly watching him as he got up from my bed, undoubtedly taking my silence as a small win.

At first it seemed that he was walking toward the window, leaving. However, when he reached the wall, he simply leaned his weight against it with his back to me, seemingly thinking, considering what to do next.

After a few moments of painful silence, he moved, shifting his weight off the wall quickly. Once he gained sufficient distance, he lifted his fist, bringing it back to hit the wall at a superhuman pace, causing me to jump at the sudden shock of the vibrations it sent through my room.

"He's not the only one, you know," he said, his voice cracking over the words.

"Wh-what?" I stammered, taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"He is not the only one who loves you, Chloe," he whispered quietly, almost inaudibly, as a strong shiver ran through the entirety of his body.

Once again, I felt as if there was absolutely nothing in the world I could say or do. My mouth fell open as I stood dumbfounded, watching him double back from the opposite wall of the room and come toward me instead. Fast. Like the kind of speed no human could ever achieve, as if to prove to me that he was _not_ human, he was like me. Mai.

Before I knew it, Alek was standing right in front of me, having closed the distance before I could so much as blink. His arms immediately went around my waist, pulling me ever-closer to him, like we could never be close enough. His lips pressed against mine in a soft kiss while I stared at him, not even thinking enough to close my eyes.

I don't know exactly how or why, but I found myself _letting_ him. I loved Brian. I really, truly, did, but there was a moment during that kiss when I wouldn't have replaced Alek with anyone else in the world.

Not Brian, not anyone.

At some point my eyes closed and the kiss grew, Alek constantly pulling me to him. And still, I didn't stop him. The thought crossed my mind, but the spark of anger his forced kiss had lit in me was soon put out by something, as if it had been trying to survive the rain storm outside. Somehow, I found myself laying on my bed with him laying on top of me, our lips still dancing against each other in perfect sychronization, and still, I hadn't raised one single protest.

The kiss drug on and on, seeming to encompass an eternity, yet no time at all. And when I opened my eyes, he was gone. Alek was no longer in my bedroom, and the previously opened window was closed. He was gone.

I threw a backwards punch at my bed, accompanied by a little scream of... Anger? Happiness? Confusion? Yeah, I didn't know.

When I heard my front door open, I reached out to the side and turned off the lamp on the table beside my bed. I heard my mother's footsteps on the stairs, but I simply rolled over, turning my back to the door and pretending to be asleep.

"Chloe?" she called once she was on the landing atop the stairs.

I didn't answer. She cracked the door open, peeking in at me and seeing me 'sleeping', and simply whispered, "I love you," into the darkness at my door.

But I wasn't going to answer. _Implied,_ I thought, feeling a tear drop from eyes and wet my pillow.

_Why_ hadn't I stopped him? There was still no doubt in my mind that I loved _Brian_, that I wanted to be with _Brian._ But somewhere, deep inside, there had to be a reason I hadn't stopped Alek.

Well. This put a damper on my plans.

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><p><strong>Story needed a twist ;)<strong>

**It was originally supposed to just be a cute, fluffy little Chloe/Brian oneshot, but this is what happens when unstoppable ideas hit me in the middle of the night. So opinions? I know you've got some, & I'd love to hear them :)**

**Chapter three should be available shortly, since I suppose I can't leave things as they stand. **

**Much love to the reviewers! **


	3. Chapter 3: Daddy Dearest

**Summary: When Chloe's father blows back into town after years of remaining distant, he comes bearing dark secrets that tie her life to Brian's in ways she never would have dared to imagine. Ways she wouldn't even want to imagine. Chloe's father, Brian's father, The Order, and the ties that bind them together.**

**Enjoy! :) **

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER THREE: DADDY DEAREST<strong>_

It was a long, sleepless night, and I was up with the first rays of sun that peeked through my window. The rain had lasted much of the night, leaving the world wet and dreary. Almost as dreary as my mood. Almost.

The morning light made the night before seem almost like a dream, and in a way, I almost wished it had been just that. But I knew it hadn't been. I would've thought I'd have been thrilled that Brian knew my secret, especially when he took it so well, but now I was almost wishing he hadn't taken so kindly to the thought of having a non-human girlfriend.

Or whatever I was to him.

And then there was Alek. His words had left a lasting impact on me, as had his frenzied, passionate kiss. Much as I didn't want to listen to him, some part of me, maybe my conscience, knew he was right. This simply wasn't fair to Brian, and perhaps sticking around would be selfish. It would mean putting him in danger, both the dangers posed by other superhuman creatures who were out to get me, and the danger _I_ posed. If ever we let our guard slip and _really_ kissed, it would certainly get the worst of him. But then again, maybe I _was_ selfish. Maybe I couldn't help myself. Love will do that to a person I guess.

Hoping to clear my racing thoughts for just a little while, I made my way downstairs to find some breakfast. However, as I walked by my front door, I noticed something odd. An envelope had been slipped under the door at some point during the night, and was now lying on the floor just inside the house. Written across in scrawling black ink were two words: Chloe King.

I didn't recognize the handwriting, neither as Brian's nor Alek's, so I took a nervous look around the room as I stooped down to pick it up. My heart raced as I opened it, wondering who would have felt it necessary to slip an envelop under the front door to my house in the middle of the night. During a rainstorm.

Inside the envelop was a single piece of paper, folded in three. I lifted it out and opened it cautiously, again looking around to make sure nobody was just trying to catch me off guard. As I unfolded the paper, I saw that it was a note, written in the same handwriting and the same ink as my name had been on the face of the envelope.

_Dearest Chloe, _it read, _I realize that this form of communication may seem rather shady to you, but I had to make sure you got this urgently. I'm aware of your current situation, and it is vital that I see you as soon as is possible and convenient. I am truly sorry that I have not been around to help you; there was so much I wanted to teach you, had I been able. I can explain, but it must be in person, not in such an easily intercepted form of communication as this. Please meet me in front of the C.P. Kelly building at noon today, and please Chloe, I beg of you, come alone. There should be an email waiting for you in your inbox as confirmation of our... appointment. Hope to see you soon, Dad._

I do believe my heart stopped upon reading the signature at the bottom of the letter. _Dad?_ My father? And _why_ would he want me at the C.P. Kelly building, where Brian had recently been to unearth his mother's belongings?

I ran back upstairs as quickly as my legs could carry me, forgetting my earlier notion of breakfast completely. By the time I was sitting cross-legged on my bed with my laptop open in front of me, my breath was coming hard and uneven. I didn't even allow my laptop proper time to load before I had double-clicked on the icon that would lead me to the internet, and as soon as the screen popped up, I had already typed in the address to check my e-mail.

And sure enough, there it was. One new message. Dad. Upon opening it, I realized that it simply read, "C.P. Kelly. Noon. Alone."

The rest of my morning was spent in a flurry of pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth I went, my phone poised to dial Alek's number at any second. No, Brian's. No, Alek's. And on and on it went. I mean, would he really know if I had an escort watching from afar? What harm could it do?

The minutes ticked by, then the hours, and soon I was staring at the clock on the wall reading 11:45 AM. A quarter to noon. Time to go.

Alone I walked out my front door, not telling anybody where I was going or how long I'd be gone. I was taking a leap of faith in trusting that it would really be my father waiting for me, but, assuming it would truly be him, I didn't want to chance upsetting him by showing up with someone else by my side, and it was doubtful that either Brian or Alek would stay too far away.

When the C.P. Kelly building came into sight, I focused immediately on the front door, checking if anybody was in the general vicinity. Upon first glance, I saw no one. As I got nearer to the building, I checked the clock on my cell phone. 11:58. Almost time.

Once I got to the front door, still seeing nobody around me, I leaned my weight against the side wall and waited. I was constantly hitting buttons on my phone just to keep the time display lit up, and just as the clock changed to 12:00, I heard a rustle from above my head. Looking up, I just about caught sight of a man jumping down off a well-concealed branch, only to land perfectly, crouching in front of me.

As he rose to full height, he began to speak. "Chloe," he said, his voice full of something like pride, "How nice to see you."

My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. It had been years on end, but I would recognize the man anywhere. "Dad!"

"In the flesh," was his simple response, as he pulled me into an awkward hug. "Come, come, we have much to discuss."

With that, he ushered me through the front door, brushing by the guards sitting at desks inside as if he owned the place. He walked me silently up to a top floor, then to the end of a hallway and into a dimly lit room, the door of which he closed immediately behind us. As if anybody was actually around to hear us.

"I'm so glad you came," he said, "but we must make this quick. It's hardly safe."

"Wa-wait, what do you mean 'hardly safe'?" I stuttered, surprised by the fact that my own father would put me in a compromising situation.

"Don't worry, we're fine. For now." His voice was all-business, almost cold. Ouch.

"Uh..." I began, "Why were you in a tree?" Well, that was probably the stupidest, most unimportant thing I could've asked, but I was still too shell-shocked by the entire situation to from any more coherent questions.

He laughed, looking at me like it had been the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. "Because the tree was clearly the most convenient vantage point," he said, "I mean, think about it kiddo, it both concealed me _and_ put me up high. It gave me a clear advantage: seeing without being seen. Therefore, I could watch for you, and I could also be certain that you had, in fact, come alone. Which I truly appreciate."

"Yeah, not exactly the answer I was looking for," I said, a new thought, or _suspicion_, rather, coming to mind. "I meant, _why_ would any normal human climb up into a tree, then jump down from it and act like nothing ever happened?"

"Oh," he said, his eyes softening, "You don't know... You hadn't figured it out yet."

Huh, could my suspicion possibly have been _right?_ "Figured out what?"

"Chloe... I'm Mai."

I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest as the silly thought I had dismissed as childish for so many years was verified. He was Mai. My _father._

"Ma-Mai?" I was hardly able to form words, never mind logical speech. "Does this... Am I... This means..."

He cut off my stammering before I could even ask what I'd been meaning to, but it was as if he'd figured it out on his own anyway. "I never adopted you," he finished, curtly answering the question I hadn't been able to ask.

I sat staring at him for a good, long time. My _real_ father. Not my _adoptive_ father.

"Chloe, I'm surprised you hadn't figured this out yet. You really are my daughter. By blood, not adoption. When you were an infant of only a few months, your mother was killed by a Jackal over some territory battle. I hadn't been home at the time, or else I'd have done _everything_ in my power to save her. Thankfully, the Jackal never even caught sight of you, as your mother had left you far from the battle, safe in your cradle. When I got home, what had happened became clear to me, and I left with you for America that very night, trying to get as far as possible away from _anything_ that could pose danger for you.

"Not long after, I met Meredith, and she was so _open_, not only to me, but also to you. She invited us into her life, and took on a mothering role for you. Now I knew that you would be Mai, and I never wanted to breathe a word of it to Meredith. It was... unnecessary, _unfair_ even, to bring her into this, so I planned to only stay with her for a small amount of time. She was always a wonderful, gracious host, but since your mother, I just cannot love anyone again, not in that way. So I had to leave."

I swallowed hard, stunned. "Wh-why didn't you take me... with you? When you le-left? Why did you leave me?"

I saw his eyes darken as he spoke next. "I was getting to that. One dark, cold winter night, a simple twist of fate set off a chain reaction. An incredibly dangerous chain reaction at that..."

His voice trailed off and his eyes became further clouded, as though he was about to reveal some horrible tale. "I was walking home to you and Meredith one night, a few years after we moved to America, when a woman walked by me on the street. She was absolutely beautiful, with an air about her that somehow, for some reason, reminded me of your mother in the strangest of ways. As we passed each other, she stopped. I stopped. And we got lost in that moment, lost in each other.

"I knew she was human, I could smell it on her. I knew it would be wrong, _deadly,_ but for some reason, when she moved toward me, I didn't stop her. I didn't turn away. No, I found myself _helping_ her to close the distance, some human I didn't even know. Before I knew it, our lips were sealed together in a kiss, and that was that. That spelled out the end for her."

I watched as the emotions flickered through his eyes. Reminiscence, nostalgia, love, pure bliss, then cold, hard guilt.

"Chloe, I never meant to start this, but nonetheless, I did. The woman, of course, died not long after. I followed her home, watched through the windows as she died in her husband's arms, her son in the next room... And it was all my fault. Ah, Evelyn..."

I could've sworn I saw a tear fall from his eye, but he wiped it away so quickly that I couldn't be sure. Woah. Woah, woah, woah. Wait. "_Evelyn?" _I snapped, suddenly drawing a connection.

"Yes, that was her name," he answered simply.

"Evelyn..." I began, almost dreading the words I was about to utter, "Evelyn _Rezza?"_

"Yes, that's the woman," he said, confusion pinching his face.

"Oh... Oh my God, Brian," I heard myself say, although I'm still unsure how I was thinking enough to speak at all.

"Yes," was his easy answer, as if it mattered none, "The boy's name was Brian. I do believe you know him?"

I think I almost fainted. "You... _you_ are what happened to Brian's mother?"

"That is what I just told you, Chloe," he said, "And that is the reason I wanted to meet up with you at all. When his father found out about what happened to his wife, and to this day I am ambivalent as to how he could _possibly_ have known, he joined a group called The Order. That very group is after you, Chloe. They hunt Mai, and in particular, the Uniter. With Whitley in the operation, The Order is after you, and me, with a particularly strong vengeance. But I know how to stop them, dead in their tracks. You, as the Uniter, are the only one who can actually do it, though."

"Dad, I..." I paused, wanting to tell him about my feelings for Brian, but too afraid to mention it. I settled instead on inquiring about his plan. "What can I do?"

"There is a woman behind the whole group, and she is the one with the true power. She is a witch of sorts, I suppose, and is the one who accursed the Mai with the inability to co-mingle intimately with humans in the first place. All except you, of course, as the Uniter was sent to reunite our races."

Shock ran through me once more. Man, this just kept getting better. "Excuse me? What do you mean all except me?"

"I mean, of course, that you can co-mingle with the humans however you desire. It's what makes the Uniter special... Sent to reunite our species." He looked shocked to see that I didn't know that little tidbit of information.

"But... I kissed a human once, and he died... Shortly thereafter..."

"Perhaps he did, but he certainly didn't die as a result of kissing you. The Uniter's kiss may cause a short shut-down of a human's system, but they _will_ snap out of it, and come away from the whole ordeal none the worse for it."

"_What?"_ I burst out. "So I _can_ be with a human?"

He laughed. "This about the Rezza boy, isn't it?" He paused, judging my expression and seeming to take it as answer enough. "So it is. That's what I thought. What I started, you are destined to finish. But Chloe, that is not of import at the moment. I must go, but first, I must tell you that you must kill the woman with the true power of The Order. Once she is a thing of the past, the rest of the group should fall apart relatively quickly. Whitley Rezza, he may pose a problem, but once the woman is gone, you can handle the rest of your duties. And one more thing, I left you under the care of Valentina for a reason. She is a strong, dedicated woman, and Alek and Jasmine, they are fantastic kids. They all truly care about you, Chloe, and they are wonderful people. Always trust them. And please, Chloe, you have to take care of The Order soon. Personal decisions can wait. We both know they'll both be patient with you; both are amazing young men, and both care about you a great deal. Goodbye, my love."

And with that he was gone. He left me staring blankly at the wall, on overload. Man, gotta love my dad.

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><p><strong>Alrighty then. My different spin on that finale, which is effectively driving me absolutely insane... Just saying. <strong>

**Anyway. I hope you all liked that & Chapter 4 should be available shortly. I'd really love some opinions on where I'm going with this!**

**& as always, much love to the reviewers! :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Dangerous Liasons

**Chapter four is finally ready! Sorry for the seriously _long_ time between updates, life's been kind of crazy in the past few weeks. Should be settling down a bit, at least for now, so... Yeah. Here it is.**

**Summary: Brian takes Chloe out for a long, romantic drive. However, Chloe's good afternoon turns into quite a mess of a night as she regrets the dark secrets she's keeping from him. The dangerous sort. In the meantime, Meredith goes out for a business dinner with risky company, necessitating a rescue by Alek. As if Chloe's life wasn't messy enough.**

**Hope you enjoy! :)**

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER FOUR: DANGEROUS LIASONS<strong>_

"Mom?" I called as I walked through the front door with my head spinning.

She was halfway down the stairs, smiling as I walked in. She had on a pretty black dress and heels, apparently going somewhere.

"Big night?" I asked with a grin.

"Nah," she responded, but betrayed her answer with a subtle, subconscious nod. "Just a little business meeting."

"Now?" I asked, finding her apparel a bit fancy for an early afternoon meeting.

"Dinner tonight," she responded, "Trying out a few dress options now."

"Well, this just so happens to be _hot_," I commented lightly, "It's got my vote!"

She laughed. "Then this it shall be."

As she headed back upstairs, I went straight for a chair in the kitchen. Resting my head in my hands, I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my still-racing heart. This morning had taken a course I'd never have expected, one I probably wouldn't even have believe had I not experienced it firsthand.

I was pulled out of my reverie a few minutes later, jumping as I heard my cell phone ring. As I reached for it, I saw Brian's picture glowing on the display. I smiled at the remembrance of something my father had told me just minutes earlier: The Uniter could kiss humans. Or, more importantly, _I_ could kiss _Brian._ Finally. This Uniter thing _did_ have a perk.

"Hello?" I smiled as I answered the phone.

"Hey Chloe," his smooth voice carried through the line, "I've called you like 7 times, where have you been?"

"I, uh,' I paused, thinking. "I went for a little walk." There. That worked. At least it wasn't a complete lie. Then I continued, changing the subject, "What's up?"

"I was just wondering if maybe you'd want to do something today... with me?"

My smile spread. "Brian Rezza, I would love to."

"How lucky for me then, Chloe King," he responded, laughing as he drew out my name the way I had his.

"Have anything particular in mind?" I asked, honestly up for _anything._

"I was thinking that maybe I could pick you up and we could just go for a drive, maybe get some coffee since we've always been so good at that. But I'd go anywhere and do anything, as long as I'm with you."

"That sounds lovely. _Perfect_ actually." I started on my way upstairs as I spoke, hoping to grab a jacket for the cooler-than-expected day.

He proceeded to tell me he'd pick me up in ten minutes as I ran into my room, my smile only growing.

I quickly picked up a jacket hanging off the back of a chair and called out a quick "Bye Mom, love you, have fun!" as I walked past her closed bedroom door in the hopes of a quick escape.

No such luck. "Stop." came her even voice through the thick wooden door as I heard her high heels click across the hardwood floor of her room.

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, hoping she'd hear my melodramatic expression of angst, but stopped dead in my tracks. I owed it to her after my earlier disappearance, the one she hadn't so much as questioned thus far.

"And where exactly might _you_ be going?" she asked as she stepped into the hallway with her arms folded over her chest in an authoritarian sort of manner. "For that matter, where have you _been_?"

"I went for a walk this morning," I retorted without even pausing to think for a split-second. That was my story and I was sticking to it. Plus, I couldn't easily tell her I'd been to meet her long-gone husband. "Needed some alone time to think. And now, I'm hoping to go spend the day with Brian... Please?"

Her stern look melted into a far softer one instantly. "So, is this a date?" she teased, "Or are you still calling yourselves 'just friends'? Because I don't believe for a second that a simple friend has ever made you look so happy."

"Well..." I explained, "We are just friends. I mean, it's nothing official. But... I think I love him, Mom."

She smiled knowingly, pulling me into a hug and whispering a simple "I know." into my ear. When we broke away, she gave me a light push and added, "You'd better get going!"

I wasn't about to argue with that. Slinging my jacket over my shoulder, I ran down the stairs, taking a quick peek out the window as I passed it by. Brian's car was just pulling up outside my house, so I made a bee line for the door.

He smiled as I climbed down into the passenger seat, angled in his seat in order to speak to me more easily. "You look beautiful," was all he said.

I smiled. "Oh hush. Just drive."

With that, he did just what I'd asked. His little BMW hugged the road all the way to the coast. After stopping to grab coffee to go, we wound up and down a high road with a scenic overlook, the narrow road dropping into the ocean right at the street's edge. We talked and laughed, never even considering anything but the here and now, content with simply being together.

After driving for about an hour and a half, he pulled into a small lot on the edge of the road. Much to my surprise, he hopped out of the car the second it rolled into park, running around the it to open my door for me.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked, confused by his unexpected action.

"We are stopping because I want to show you the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he said, then with a smile he added, "Except for you. It has absolutely _nothing_ on you."

Well. He was just showering me with compliments today. I didn't respond, only allowing him to throw his arm around my shoulders and going along where he walked. At the edge of the little dirt parking lot was a gap in the guard rail protecting cars from the death-defying drop below. He pulled me toward that little gap, guiding me with him down the steep incline.

"Are we... allowed to be here?" I asked, wondering but not necessarily caring either way.

He grinned in that way only Brian ever could, pulling me closer to him. "Honestly? I don't know. But I guess if there's no sign expressing direct disapproval of it, why not?"

"Why not," I repeated, snuggling up under his arm.

When we reached the end of the trail, it became readily obvious why he'd brought me there. We were standing on a small outcropping in the rocky shore, waves lapping up and quite nearly reaching the spot where we stood. The ocean ran for an expanse of miles, the sounds of the waves mixing with that of the birds above and the assorted forest life around us, the noises floating together to form the most perfect song. In the distance, mountains were visible, looming high above sea level, standing like giants in contrast with the water. A light fog hung in the air, not heavy enough to botch the beautiful view, just enough to add to its magical effect.

We stood for a long time, huddled together in the cool breeze, before I remembered the thing I'd been wanting to tell Brian. "Oh!" I exclaimed, then apologized as I felt him jump at my sudden outburst. "I have a surprise for you!"

"Oh yeah?" he murmured, "What might that be?"

"Remember how I told you I couldn't kiss humans, because... because I'm Mai?" The fact that he knew my secret was going to take some getting used to.

"Yes, I have a vague recollection of the events of last night," he quipped, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Of course I remember."

"Well," I began, dragging out my words in a slow tease, "As fate would have it, I'm not just _any _Mai, I'm a _special_ Mai. The Uniter."

"Which means...?"

"Which means I was sent to reunite our species, to restore the peace between humans and Mai."

"And...?"

I was really just milking it at that point, watching the excitement build in his hazel green eyes, wanting to soak up every bit of the pleasure I was deriving from keeping him waiting. "And, I _can_ kiss humans! I _can_ kiss _you!"_

His mouth dropped open at the words, and I watched as his expression of shock turned to one of joy, then to something else, something I couldn't quite place. I was expecting a response, simple words, but that wasn't quite what I got.

He simply pivoted himself to face me, leaning down and pressing his lips to mine in one smooth motion. It took me a while to even realize what was happening, to become accustomed to the feel of his lips against mine, _really_ _and truly _against mine, to fully realize the taste of his mouth, but when I finally caught on, I was basking in every bit of that glow. I felt him smile into the kiss when I finally engaged, when our lips began to dance together perfectly, a fire igniting in my heart.

It was a long, honest, and above all absolutely beautiful kiss. When we finally pulled back, he smiled, taking me into a tight, intimate hug immediately. And it was collectively one of the best, the most sincere, the most _wonderful_ moments of my life.

"Wow..." he whispered after a while, "And who do I have to thank for this revelation that you can kiss humans?"

I froze. I'd been stupid. So_ so_ stupid. Of course he was going to ask how I found out, and what exactly could I tell him? My long lost father returned, swooping back into my life with a whole _load_ of revelations? Oh, and then I might as well have told him that that very father had _killed_ his mother...

"Uh..." I stammered, blindly searching for the words that wouldn't come. "I... Uh... Well... Valentina."

"Who?" he asked, never having heard the name before.

Great. The webs I was weaving were oh so intricate. Now Alec was going to be a part of this, or _more_ of a part of this? "Uh... She's my... Guardian. She protects me. Helps me. Teaches me." Huh, not bad for an on-the-fly, blatant lie.

"Oh... well please do tell her how much I appreciate it. Because I _really_ appreciate it."

I giggled uncomfortably, "I'll be sure to tell her that."

We stood in silence for a few more minutes, staring out over the ocean while mist spread upwards, wrapping us in itself like a cool blanket. After about five more minutes, Brian led me back to the car, and we were on our way back home, the sun already low in the sky.

By the time we got back to my house, the moon was already visible in the dark nighttime sky. I turned to Brian as he pulled up outside, smiling and thanking him for the day. "I had so much fun," I said, and it was entirely true. "Would you like to come in for a little while? Maybe have some more coffee?"

He agreed, walking up to my door with me and staring out at the night while I fumbled with my keys, moving to unlock my door with shaky hands. I was worrying about the possibility of him being 'in shock' for a while as a result of my kiss, a side-effect my father had mentioned as entirely possible. I wasn't even sure of the meaning 'in shock' might hold. When I finally pulled the door open, I turned to him, only to have my fears fulfilled.

Brian was sitting on my steps, cradling his head in his hands. I'd have asked him if he was okay, but everything happened so quickly in the next few minutes that stopping to chat was never a choice.

I'm not even sure in what order everything happened. All I remember was hearing a shriek from inside the house and turning to look for its source, finding my entryway in shambles. My mother was huddled in the corner with her knees pulled up to her chest, trembling in fear as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. Alek was in my house, struggling with another man I wouldn't have recognized, had Brian not mumbled the small word "Dad?" in a shaky, dizzy voice. Alek was covered in blood, and I couldn't even tell whose blood it was. It could've been his. It could have been my mother's. Or it could have been Brian's father's. All I knew was that, accounting for the excess scarlet liquid smeared all over the rug, all over Alek, and probably all over the rest of the room's inhabitants, there was plenty of it, probably a bit from each of them.

Because my life wasn't complicated enough.

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><p><strong>Alrighty, so I hope you guys enjoyed that! Sorry for the major lag between updates. As I said, life's been insane. But now I'm back to reality &amp; Chapter 5 should be readily avaiable soon, if you're interested that is. &amp; if you are, please do let me know. Want to see this continue? Got opinions? Tell me so! As always, much love to all the reviewers!<strong>

**Also, I just wanted to share in a moment of silence for the families impacted by 9/11, especially so close to its 10th anniversary. My Sociology class watched remembrance videos today; tough to see, to say the least. So, just wanted to keep those people in our minds! Thanks!**


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